There are options available for both white glove service and final mile providers to work together in harmony using the right tool that can manage data collection and circumstance monitoring. Doing so allows a firm to review its performance over time and make necessary adjustments for greater efficiency.

Challenges of managing final mile logistics and white glove services

The problems associated with final mile logistics and white glove services depend upon the industry and unique needs of every delivery. Even something as simple as missing addresses on GPS can be problematic. Recognising and overcoming issues is a prudent choice in improving services.

Here are a few challenges of managing final mile logistics and white glove services:

Delivery failure risk

A cornerstone of final mile delivery hinges upon a firm’s ability to meet the delivery specifications and customer expectation simultaneously. It’s an expectation that rests squarely on the shoulder of the shipper since they uphold the guarantee. Late or missed deliveries can spell out big trouble and high costs. Data logging your overall efforts can reveal a lot about a provider’s performance, or useful data on how you can improve your operations if you handle the shipping yourself.

Customer service

It’s critical to leverage technology at the customer-service level. Last mile deliveries must offer transparency within the realm of customer service and shipments including:

• customised drop-off and pick-up options
• real-time package tracking and communications
• knowledgeable drivers with service capabilities

For example, UPS offers the MyUPS application, which allows customers to estimate delivery times and receive detailed location information regarding the drop-off point. However, the company still handles issues related to rural routes.

Collaboration efforts

It is difficult to interview, select, and trust the right last mile logistics provider at the local level. Large carriers are more expensive than local firms, but they do offer reliability and experience. On the other hand, local providers know the area best, so it may make more sense to coordinate with them.

White glove service specific

White glove service goes above and beyond the typical shipping arrangement. Instead of responsibility ending at delivery, the logistics provider must also install, step-up, or take extra care during transportation. In short, white glove service must live up to its name.

Let’s take a look at industries that are adopting white glove service on final mile deliveries:

Industries adopting white glove service at the final mile

White glove service at the last mile can provide a leading edge over e-commerce giants like Amazon or Walmart. Evaluating your shipping strategies is an excellent first step in improving your final mile procedures in the following industries:

Wholesale distribution

Wholesale is making waves in its approach toward final mile strategies and white glove service. Commercial customers pay premium rates for their products and expect to receive the items on time and with specialised assistance for some industries. They also tend to offer a steady stream of business. A seamless service process is vital to repeat business.

Furniture

Furniture is heavy, expensive, and highly-valued by the purchaser. White glove service on the final mile of furniture delivery is rising rapidly. Not only must the piece arrive in good condition and on-time, but customers also need assistance with custom or pre-fabricated items alike. Data collection and circumstance monitoring is necessary for managing the margins on large, bulky shipments like furniture

Appliances

Like furniture, appliances are similar in terms of white glove delivery service needs. They can also be complex to set-up and use. Therefore, logistics providers must provide skilled labourers who can weather the challenges of delivering appliances. Familiarity with the product’s operation may be necessary for client service as well.

How white glove services and last mile deliveries align for a unique customer experience

Many customers want to know everything about the timeline of their shipment, from selection to receipt. Moreover, it goes beyond the traditional, hackneyed way of doing things. They want to know down to the minute as to where a logistics provider is in the process.

White glove services poise themselves to offer this type of receiving experience for customers. It’s for this reason, among many others, that white glove services are in top-demand for specialised products and industries.

Advanced back-end technology needs

Both white glove service and final mile logistics providers of this day have highly-advanced technology needs. Not only do they have to communicate with each other and finalise a shipment, but they also perform other tasks such as data logging and circumstance monitoring to take the pulse of their current offerings.

White glove strategies during the final mile

White glove service must live up to its name even during the final mile phase of delivery. Meeting expectation is fundamental to the service. In the section below, we outline a few technology options that white glove and final mile providers can use to exceed customer expectation, reduce costs, and increase revenues.

Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing is an opportunity for locating providers who can offer white glove service during the final mile stretch of deliveries. Most platforms that connect shippers with independent providers pre-screen and investigate the abilities of the individual for hire. Shippers appreciate the ability to control who takes on the task as well.

Warehouse solutions

Reducing shipping distances from a delivery’s origin is the most logical way to decrease shipping time. However, that requires facilities, capital, and human resources to successfully accomplish this task. Fortunately, today’s market can support the needs of hiring a third-party logistics (3PL) company to offer shippers a hand up in last mile, white glove deliveries. You can set up a warehouse virtually anywhere using a 3PL.

Cloud-based network solutions

Cloud-based solutions are the gold standard in logistics management. This concept makes sense since the ability to manage shipments across multiple devices in real-time from anywhere. Providers can address issues on the fly as well as evaluate their performance over time using data logging, data collection, and service monitoring.

In conclusion

Like any new software or technology, working with a reputable partner with integration experience can optimise your chances at improving every facet of your service offerings.

Did you enjoy the article? You can get a better introduction to our company by reading the post Who, what, why is Logmore? Please take a look at our blog posts Datafication: Using Data Logging as a Business Development Tool and Tech Innovations in Supply Chain as well.

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